When working overnight in a hospital, you learn to not have any expectations of how your shift will go because things can change, seemingly unprompted, at any moment. One cold night in December 2016 in an Indianapolis hospital, I was not expecting to have my whole life changed. I received a page from “Ali, RN” on the surgical/trauma floor about a patient deteriorating. He couldn’t take his antibiotics due to a feeding tube malfunction and she was concerned. We tried several maneuvers to fix the problem but to no avail, and it had to be removed. The antibiotics were changed to IV form but the patient did not look any better, prompting me to go on a bedside visit to evaluate further. When I arrived in the patient’s room, I noticed all the important things, like vital signs, patient’s level of distress, and how cute this worried nurse was. Throughout that night, I think Ali paged me between ten and one million times while we treated our mutual patient. We began chatting slowly over the next few months before I finally got the courage to ask her out for a drink. We met at Bakersfield for our first date. Somehow she had gotten even prettier than the first time I had seen her, so much so that I didn’t think it was possible she was there for me. We sat and chatted for what seemed like 5 minutes but was really over 3 hours. From that moment forward we haven’t run out of things to talk about.

At the time we were living in Austin, Texas, and we “spontaneously” planned a trip home to spend time at my parents’ lake house. Little did I know, Austin had the proposal planned and the ring in his backpack on the plane. I found out later the TSA workers could see the most beautiful ring on the scanner and were making a big deal about it is as we passed through security by congratulating him. I did not realize this at the time because I was busy with our six month-old puppy, Milo. That Friday I decided to take a nap before dinner, still in my bathing suit from being on the boat all day. Just for a visual aid, I laid down with my back on the chase and my feet up on the back of the chair upside down. Next thing I knew, Austin was gently waking me. He was urging me to wake up because “we have to go with your mom to the grocery store before dinner.” Weird. He was handing me my cover- up dress, telling me to get ready for dinner. Weird. I blame my groggy state for not immediately noticing he was dressed up, as was the rest of my family. I went upstairs to put on real clothes and when I came back down, he took my hand and led me outside to the patio. I honestly remember time moving in slow motion at that point. Once outside he got down on one knee, used my full name and told me how much he loved me in the most loving speech I. have ever heard. I remember being vaguely aware of someone taking pictures of us, but by now I was trying to absorb every detail of him and the moment. Turns out he hired a professional photographer in the small lake town to capture the special moment. Insert one million heart emoji’s. I remember crying and him putting the ring on my finger. I remember kissing and hugging and then hearing him say, “Did you ever actually say yes?” Yes, Austin, every day a thousand times yes. You are my best friend and I have wanted to marry you since the day I met you. I can’t wait for forever together.